Automatic stair-door.



W. F. RODGERS.

AUTOMATIC STAIR DOOR.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 20. 1915.

1,156,556. Patented ott. 12, 1915.

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WILLIAM F. RODGERS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC STAIR-DOOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 12, 1%15.

Application filed January 20, 1915. Serial No. 3,390.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. RODGERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at 3552 Pine street, city of St. Louis, State of Missouri, haveinvented a new and useful Automatic StairDoor. I

My invention relates to a device for inside stairs where space islimited, and enables a person to pass through the stair-way to a lowerstair leading to floor below. j

l attain this by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawingin which Figure 1 is a vertical plane or section of the stairs showingthe stair door therein. Fig. 2. is a vertical plane of the catch whichholds the stair door in place when not in use. Fig. 3. is a back View ofFig. 2.

Similar letters in this specification will refer to similar letters onthe drawing.

:In the accompanying drawing D is a flight of stairs leading upwardly,and D is a flight of stairs leading downwardly directly underneath theupper flight ofstairs. In thejupper flight of stairs is hinged at B astair door A. The arm C is fastened to the door A near its upper end. Arod F carrying weight Eis hung from the free end of the lever arm 0. Aplate L having an aperture therein is let in the landing N and isengaged by spring catch H which is secured to the riser K. The riser Khas an opening 0 through it near its lower portion. The spring catch Hcarries a U shaped bracket P which passes through said opening 0 andsupports plate G on i the opposite side of the riser. Eye bolt Q issecured to the spring catch H and this to a hook R on the stair door.

door to rise.

parts throughout,

eye bolt carries a chain J which is attached I is a guide for springcatch H and also forms a stop to prevent throwing the catch back toofar. An aperture plate S may be secured to the face of the riser throughwhich bracket P projects.

The operation of the device is as follows: When the catch H is released,either by pressure of the foot against plate G or by ,pullingthe chainJ,the stair door rises on its pivoted hinges due to the weights E whichare sufflciently heavy to cause the I This makes an opening throughwhich one may pass up or down the lower flight of stairs D. Whenthestair door isclosed and latched one may pass up or down the stair D.

I claim- A landing, stairs overlying each other and leading upwardly anddownwardly therefrom, a counterbalanced hinged door section comprisingseveral of the lowermost steps of the upper flight of stairs, said doorhaving a spring catch located in the lower -most riser and'engaging thelanding to lock the door section, and said catch having -means connectedtherewith readily operable bythe footfrom one side of the riser andhaving other means extending -out a substantial distance over the stalrsleading down and operable therefrom.

' WILLIAM F. RODGERS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents. each, byaddressing the Commissioner of I'atents.

Washington, D. G.

